Conveyer for moving trucks over tracks



April 28, 1953 N. A. WOODARD 2,636,446

CONVEYER FOR MOVING TRUCKS OVER TRACKS Filed Feb. 8, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN V EN TOR. B/VALTER AWOODAFD ATTORNEY W. A. WOODARD CONVEYER FOR MOVING TRUCKS OVER TRACKS April 2s, 1953 2 SHEETS-SMT 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1952 OK NN IN VEN TOR.

WALTER A BY .WOQDARD A T T o R NELY Patented Apr. 28, `1953 vOFFICE coNvEYER Fon Mo vING TRUCKS ovER ons Y Walter A. Woodard, Cottage Grove, Oreg. ApplicationFebruary 8, 1952, Serial No. 270,558

- 1 This invention relates to conveyors for moving trucks over tracks and is particularly adapted to move trucks having stacked lumber thereon.

` The primary object of my new and improved conveyor is to engage the undersurfaces of truck frames wherein a series of trucks are used in the conveying of lumber by conveyor chains without the use of lugs. The contact pressure of the chain is equal against the undersurface of each truck, thereby preventing the shifting of the trucks under the lumber while being moved.

' Means is provided within my conveyor to apply an even pressure contact under each truck, regardless of the unevenness existing in the tracks. Means is also provided for adjusting the pressure contact under the frames of the trucks.

Another object of my invention is the providing of a control for starting and stopping the movement of the conveyor, positioning the trucks at an exact location.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of my new and improved conveyor for moving trucks.

Figure 2 is a side sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a wiring diagram illustrating the electrical motors and the controls for the operation of the conveyors.

Figure 4 is an end sectional view, taken on line 4--4 of Figure l, illustrating the conveyor chain in contact with the trucks to be moved.

Figure 5 is a sectional view, the same as Figure 4, except that the conveyor chain is retracted from underneath the trucks.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail fragmentary plan view of the conveyor chain raising and lowering mechanism.

. Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional View, taken on line I-'I of Figure 4.

- Referring more specifically to the drawings:

The mechanism'of my new and improved truck conveyor is mounted Within the frame I, consisting of longitudinal beams 2 and transverse beams 3 at their ends, having intermediate beams 4 for supporting the mechanism about to be described.

Running centrally and longitudinally of the frame I is a conveyor chain 5. The chain 5 is trained around the sprockets B, which are journalled at 'I within the frame 8. The frame 8 primarily consists of a channel 9 running between the centers of the sprockets 6 throughout the entire length of the conveyor chain.

Running longitudinally and centrally of the channel 9 is a raised track I0, upon which the 1 illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

. 5'Clams. (Cl. 104-172) rollers II of the conveyor chain ride, providing easy movement of the chain under the weight to be transported thereby. The channel 9 is supported at intervals throughout its length'upon the cross beams 4 in the following manner.

K Referring particularly to Figures 1, 4 and 5, it will be noted that the channel is located between vertical guides I2, which form part of the cross beams 4 permitting up and down movement of the channel. u

Levers I3 are pivotally mounted to the cross frames 4 at I4. The channel 9 and the conveyor chain 5 are supported upon these levers by 'Way of the connecting rods I5, the lower bifurcated ends I6 of the rods being pivotally connected at I'I to the levers I3, while the upper threaded ends pass through the supporting brackets I8 extending down from the channel 9 and forming part thereof.

Lock nuts I 9 provide for vertical adjustment of height of the channel above the levers I3. Weights 2l) are adjustably positioned on the end 2| of the levers. These said weights are adapted to pivot the levers about their pivot point I 4, raising the channel 9 vertically for contacting the underside 22 of the truck frames 23A. The pressure under these frames will depend upon the position of the Weights 26 in regard to the levers I3. I r `In Figures 1, 2 and 4, I illustrate the conveyor chain 5 in contact with the truck frames, but in Figure 5 I illustrate how the conveyor chain is retracted or lowered from under the truck frames. Running longitudinally of the frame I is a shaft 24, journalled within bearings 25 which are mounted to the cross frames 4. This shaft has arms 26 keyed thereto. These arms`have rollers 21 ljournalled on their outer ends and adapted to contact the surface 2B of the levers I3, as best The shaft 24 is revolved by the motor 29, speed reducer 30 by way of the chain 3l. The arms 26 take either the position shown in Figures 4 or 5'. In the position shown in Figure 5 the effect of the weight 2U is overcome by the fact that the arm 26 pivots the lever I3 about its pivot point I4, lowering the conveyor channel and chain disengaging it from the frames 23A of the trucks. The trucks operate on the tracks 32, the said tracks being mounted to the frames I.

In Figure 2 I illustrate by broken lines the position of stacked lumber resting on the frame 23A of the trucks 23. In the drawings I have illustrated but two trucks. There could be any number of trucks depending on the type of lumber being handled.

The length of the frame l could be considerably longer than shown. It can be installed over straight line tracks, or it can be mounted within elevators used to raise and lower lumber.

I will now describe the operation of my new and improved conveyor. The trucks 23 support the lumber, indicated by the broken lines 33, are moved over the conveyor chain 5 by any means, as for instance another conveyor 'set upsimiler to the one shown or anyT other means. The position of the conveyor chain is shown in Figure 5. When switch 34 isl closed, the motor 29 is started, and the solenoid 38 is energized which .closes va circuit through the motor 29 by way of 'the 'main line 31, conductor 38, motor 29, conductor 3'9, switch bar 40 and back to the main line 'by wayrof the conductor 4l.

When the switch bar 40 reaches 'the broken line position, the latch l2 drops behind vthe said bar, holding the same. is revolves the snai-t 2d in the .direction of the arrow, 'bringing .the arms -2'6 to the ,position shown in Figure 4, at which time vit is desired to .stop the rotation of the shaft 2li and the arms '28. .Cams 43 are 'ixedly .secured -t'o the shaft, referring to Figures 1 and v3. 'These cams are Aadapted Ato contact the arm '421 `of the latch 4l?, .tripping the same .from Vbehind v.the .switch 4bar M3., allowing it 'to return to `open position at which time the motor 2'9 will stop rotating the arms 26 the position shown in Figure 4.

The weights f2@ 4'by being allowed vtollower will apply a lifting Apressure under .the .conveyor chai-n 5, which will bear against the cross `frames 23A of the trucks 23. This pressure being equal under all of vthe trucks, due .to the ifact, in .refer-ring to Figure 1, lit wfillbe noted that .there area-series ci Ilevers II3 throughout the .length of .the conveyor, each being controlled by a separate weigh-t.

r-ihe .movement .of .the .conveyor .chain 5 .is Ycontrolled by the .motor .29, .speed .reducer 730, .drive ing sprocket il which drives -thechain `5.

The chain'i Anasa reverse .run i8 .into thechai-n tightener unit lili.A This -motor is controlled through ,a switch, the operator .being .able `to 4see the exact locaton ci #the trucks from -this switch control.

Assume .now the conveyor disengaged .from the trucks, the switch 313 is again closed, bringing .the switch bar il!) to the .broken lineposition, r

energizing 4the ymotor '2t .revolving the :shaft 24 andthe arms 2S. This will bring the arms v.trom the .position shown in Figure a with their rollers 2-1 .downagainst .thesurfaces .2S .of .the iev-ers l-S, raising the weights 2Q and lowering the conveyor .chain .5. When -the arms reach the .point shown in Figure '5, .one of the :cams 43 ion the `shaft will contact with the .lever Il and latch 42 disengaging .the switch arm bar 4U and stopping the motor 29. .Any suitable type of limit switch .could .be used,.1.have fmerely illustrated a switch vmechanism that Acan accomplish the resuit, mainly vbecause the operator cannot `see .the raising .and flowering mechanism, therefore it has to be stopped `autorice..tically at the .proper point.

"In the l.drawings I have illustrated `a conveyor of relative .short length, .but ordinarily -it would b'efmuch Vlonger. .The `conveyor .-I have .illustrated When the motor starts is adapted particularly to be installed on elevators where a slight movement of the lumber is required in order to line the same up for absolute accuracy of movement.

The outstanding feature of my new and improved conveyor, is the fact that upward pressure is applied to the conveyor chain at many points. These pressures insuring equal Contact at a number of various points against the under side of the trucks, preventing shifting of the trucks under the lumber, which of course is a desirable eiect, where lumber is being fed into .machines automatically.

'What I claim is:

1 A conveyor mechanism comprising a frame including a pair fof spaced tracks for supporting a Amobile carriage ,and a plurality of cross-frames extending between said tracks, a pair of sprockets :journalled between said tracks in longitudinally spaced relation, an endless chain trained around said sprockets with its upper run extend-ing substantially parallelly .between said tracks, ymeans for =driving said chain, an elongated guide for the upper `-run of said chain, a plurali-ty of .longitudinally .spaced supports .on .said cross-frames and 4carry-ing `said guide, .means independently biasing .each of said supports upwardly -to 4stavate said guide and lift the upper run of lsaid lchai-n against .a :carriage on said tracks to advance the carriage .along said tracks, and means simultaneously engageable with -all of said .supports and selectively operable to :simultaneously depress and release said supports. Y

.2. A conveyor .mechanism 4asdel-ned .in `claim l wherein .sa-id .supports feach :comprise a :lever pivotally mounted on .a cross frame, a connecting rod between .said .lever .and said guide, and t'means biasing downwardly the end of said `lever topposite the lever pivot ,from said :connecting rod, whereby said connecting rod Vis urged upwardly.

3. conveyor .as fdenned claim .2 wherein said lever bia-sing :means comprises :a weigh-t .advjustably mounted on said lever..

1.1i. lA conveyor Ias 4defined in claim 3 `wherein said support depressing linea-ns comprises :a :shaft extending longitudinally between :said tracks, a plurality of cam elements on said shaft and-each engageable with :a lever opposite :the lever )pivot trom :said weight 5to `'sw-ing said :lever .in topposition to said weight and lower 'saidfcminectingrod and :guide to retract :said `chair-1, and means for selectively nperatmg said .shaft to revolve said cam elements to :simultaneously :engage :said levers to lower fthe guide :and -to simultaneously releasefsaidlevers ito raisetheguide.

5. A conveyor as dened in claim ,4 wherein said vslfxatt :operating @means comprises maotor drive ,means connected 'with said shaft, a limit switch in circuit with said motor drive means; said :switch fleeing manually itmera'ble to ienergfize said motor :drive means tand having 'afeoritrol lelement, :and a double :cam aon :said ishat .and 'engageable with `said limit .switch :control :element to ldelenergine `saidsmotor dr-ive fzneans.

WA'LL'JIER WGODARU ,No references cited. 

